Gel Manicures: Dazzling, Durable and Dangerous?

Your regular run of the mill manicure is cute but you're fortunate if it lasts 2 whole days without smudging, chipping or peeling - and that means you have to be extra careful when you do the dishes, scrub the kitchen or wash your hair! Gel manicures are dazzling, durable, and in most cases they can last anywhere from 10-12 days...but are they dangerous? Now don't get me wrong, I love a good gel manicure, but if you frequently get gel manicures...


 Here are a few things to consider the next time you think of getting another one:

• Gel manicures leave your nails brittle. This may be due to the gel nail polish itself, but it is also definitely due to the amount of acetone it takes to soak the polish off of your nails. Acetone can dry out your skin and lead to irritant dermatitis - inflammation and irritation of the skin around the nail.
• If the skin around your nail is irritated and inflamed it can predispose you to infections, because the skin barrier is easily broken.
• In order for most salon offered gel manicures to set properly, the drying process involves UV-light. Regular UV-light exposure has been associated with early skin aging and skin cancer.
• Finally, if you always have polish on your nails you may miss some skin changes, such as a tumor or an infection that could be brewing underneath the pretty polish. 

        

 
Not to fret, here are some tips for good nail hygiene: 

From aafp.org "Evaluation of nail abnormalities"

 

• Make sure the nail salon you patronize practices good sterilization techniques for all their equipment to minimize the chances of you getting a fungal infection from another customer. Some nail salons actually use one set of equipment per customer, they put your name on the box of tools that they use only for you. Or if you frequent nails salons a great deal, you can bring your own nail equipment from home.  
• When getting a gel manicure, wear sunscreen on your hands to minimize your exposure to the UV light during the curing process. Also, go to salons that use LED lights- a good alternative to UV lights.
• Ask your manicurist not to push your cuticle too far back during the manicure- this dries out your nail, leads to inflammation and could introduce infection. Your cuticles were made for a purpose, they are good for you!
• Try to keep your nails hydrated with lotion, oils and Vaseline to fight against brittleness and chipping.
• Don't chip your gel manicure off with your nails or anything else!
• Soak your nails, not your entire hand in the acetone. Or better yet, use acetone and toluene-free polish removers to prevent completely drying out your nails.
• Finally, makes sure you take some time between manicures to let your nails breathe and to take a good look at them. If you see anything strange, go see your doctor right away.

       

Like almost everything in life, use gel manicures in moderation so you can look and feel as fabulous on the inside as you do on the outside!